An Analysis of Teacher Communications to Individual Pupils When Instruction Is Individualized.

Neujahr, James L.

To examine three teachers' communication to individual students during their attempts to individualize instruction, a class of sixth grade students was videotaped as it spent a week in science, in social studies, and in mathematics. Tapes were analyzed using a modified form of Bellack's observation system. With the pedagogical move as the primary unit of analysis, the emitter(s) and target(s) of each move were coded with pupils individually identified in over 95 percent of all moves. Each move was coded as to whether it had substantive meaning (dealing with subject matter) or instructional meaning (dealing with assignments, materials, procedures, and other nonsubstantive topics). Data was analyzed to reveal 1) the percentage range in teacher usage of each move type (structuring, soliciting, responding, reacting); 2) number of moves directed to each pupil per class; 3) percentage range of teacher moves in type of meaning communicated (substantive or instructional); and 4) the various types of teacher ratings (none, positive, negative, or both) received by pupils. Results give evidence of considerable consistency of teacher role as he reacts with different pupils in an individualized format. His primary function remains soliciting, and the functions he performs least frequently are structuring and responding. Although his functions do not vary greatly, the frequency of interaction varies greatly across pupils, as does the content of the interaction. (JS)